Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-20

the ward with such a newly added grace and
beauty that the patients, to whom her ai,.
pearance had become familiar, raised in Their
beds TO follow the lovely spectacle with their
their eyes, and then turned to each other to
comment upon her beauty.
AT the door she found an orderly holding a
spirited young mare, handsome enough for a
queens palfrcy, and richly caparisoned.
She sprang into the saddle and adjusted her
seat with the easy grace Of an accomplished
h0rsewoman
squad Of "convalescentsa standing cut
side and group of citizens watched her with
an admiration too palpable for her to be I'M
conscious of it.
She smiled pleasantly upon the soldiers and
gave them a farewell bow as she turned the
mares head away, to which they responded
with cheers.
Rachel cantered on, her spirits rising con
tinually
1t was bright, crisp morning-a Tennessee
winter morning-when the air is as wine e
the blood, and sets every pulse to leaping.
Rachel's nostrils expanded, and she drank
deeply Of the exhilarating draughts OF noun.
tain air, with its delicious woodsy fragrance
Her steed did the same, and the hearts of both
sWelled with the inspiration.
Away she sped over the firm, smooth, Muir.
freesboro pike, winding around hillsides and
through valleys filed with infantry, cavalry
and artillery, through nterminable masses OF
wagons, herds of braying mules and crowds
Of unauned soldiers trudging back to Nash
vile, on leave OF absence, to spend the day
seeing the sights of the historic Tennessee cap
ital. In the camps the soldiers were busy
with evergreen and bunting, and the contents
of boxes received from the north. preparing
for the celebration OF Christmas in something
like the manner of the old days of home aad
peace
Like the sweet perfume OF rose altar from
a bundle of letters mwittingly stirred in q
drawer, rose the fragrant memory OF the
last OF those Christmases in ssardis before the
war, when winged on the scent w evergreens
and the merry laughter of the church dccora.
tors came TO her the knowledge that she had
found a Judgment in the heart OF Harry
Glen.
Was memory Juggling with her senses OF
was that really his voice she heard in com.
mand, in a field TO the LETT She turned q
swift, startled look III that direction, and saw
sergeant marching a large squad at quick
time to join heavy detail His back was
toward her, but his figure and bodily carriage
were certainly those Of Harry Glen. But be
fore She could make certain the squad was
merged with the detail, to the obliteration
OF all individuality, and the whole mass dis
appeared around the hill
She role on to the top Of the rim of hills
which encirclc that most picturesque OF
southern cities, and stopped fGg Il moment for
ii farewell to the stronghold Of her friends,
whose friendly cover She was abandoning t.
venture, weak aud Weafqnlcss, into the camp
of her enemies.
Above her the great black guns Of a heavy
fort pointed their sinister muzzies down the
Murircesboro road, with fearful suggestive
ligss Of the dangers to be encountered there.
81 the foot Of the hill the Cumberland, clear
as when it descended from its mountains
500 miles away, flowed between its high,
4 straight walls of limestone, spanncd by
,sowcb-lilo bridges, and bore on its I'M
troubled breast a great fleet e high-chim-
aeyed, white sided transports, and black,
sullen gunboats Miles away to her left she
saw the trains rushing into Nashville, IN
.alling as they came long black and white
ribbons against the sky.
They're coming from the north, She said,
with an Involuntary sigh; they're coming
rom homep
Sine touched her mares asnli with the whip
and sped on
She soon reached the outer linz Of guards,
hy whom She was halted with demand for
her pass. She produced the one furnished
ber, which was signed by Gen. Rosencrals.
While the. sergeant was Inspecting it it oc-
CURED to her that now was the time to begin
tho role Of young woman with rebcllious
proclivities.
is this the last guard line I will have to
pass!' She asked.